2016 Kia Sorento: problems, recalls and reliability
8 recalls and 1,242 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (52% of complaints); the 2015 and 2018 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 12 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Sep 2022
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 1,242 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“While I was driving, my 3.3 V6 engine on my 2016 Kia Sorento seized up with no warning. There is no visible oil on the dip stick, although I have changed my oil routinely. There has never been visible oil outside of the engine or on the ground. I never had any warning light come on. I believe the engine burns an extreme amount of oil, which is putting people in a dangerous situation and financial hardship.”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2026
“On Saturday the 18th of July, the car was fine, on Sunday 07/19/2026 got ready to take car to regular scheduled oil change and it was making a blown engine noise, the rod had failed, Safety issues where the people at oil change could have had a rod thrown out the bottom of the engine, or my car could have failed in the middle of the road causing an accident. No warning signs, no limp mode, no engine light, no noted metal in oil on previous oil changes. Inspected at Kia, does not meet any recall warranties, however service manager at West Hills Kia stated this is in an internal engine failure and should not have happened with our service records and care of vehicle.”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2026
“I have a 2016 kia sorento I was having a problem with the shifter it would not go into park and had to use the shift override button I contacted the dealer there was an active recall they refused to repair or replace the shifter because it was inspected by the dealer in 2022 and as far as they where concerned that satisfied the recall The recall is still valid, and does not have close date how can they refuse to repair . It is still a safety issue”Owner report · Power Train · Jul 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“I took my 2016 Kia Sorento to the dealership for an emissions service update as a result of a service bulliten (SC340) After recieving the car back, the transmission acts unpredictably and the throttle is erratic. This happens when started cold and continues until the engine reaches temperature. It did not do this previous to the update. It is a safetey hazard and almost caused a collision. The throttle response was sluggish, it hunted for gears and as a result I was unable to safely merge into traffic endangering myself and other drivers.”Owner report · Power Train · Jul 2026
“Took 2016 kia sorento april 22nd to kia services eastgate batavia oh 45103 to have all recalls fixed, few weeks later engine blew, kia services replaced engine then had to replace my battery because they had to for a month and my good battery was now a total loss, replaced my battery then my car started jerking and won't start unless in neutral, now they say my inhibitor switch needs replaced when I NEVER had any issues in the past with shifting and they wont fix it because they claim its not their fault”Owner report · Engine · Jun 2026
“My 2016 kia sorento rolls out of park; I apparently have a sorento that is "out of the date range" of the 2016 kia sorentos that had a recall. This is not acceptable!!!”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jun 2026
“Coolant empty, found overheating. Coolant refilled. No noticeable leaks. Mechanic found failure of thermostat. Replaced and car found to be overheating again. Coolant leaking into hood covering engine components.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · May 2026
“Was in for service on recalls 2 weeks ago may 2026...dealer did not fix shift solenoid recall..stated bcu need replaced...driving may 28 26 without warning no lights anything lost power while driving and engine and or transmission failed..lost oil...metal shavings in dipstick oil.oil on skid plate cover..3.3L V6 2016 kia sorento LX was able to get off road without crashing”Owner report · Engine · May 2026
“2016 Kia Sorento 2.4 mileage 75,500 (just out of warranty as of Jan 2026), vehicle is having transmission issue, hard shifting/jerking from1st gear to 2nd gear on first cold start-up of the day. No warning lamps on. Took into Kia to have the transmission serviced, cost $462, did not solve the issues. Kia paperwork upon completion of service paperwork stated "No further action required, Transmission operates to manufacturer's specifications". Safety issue: vehicle may stall during operation.”Owner report · Power Train · May 2026
“I recently took my 2016 Kia Sorento L to the Kia dealership for the Emissions update recall. The next day when I started it up and put it in drive, it started jerking hard when I was trying to speed up (going from first to second gear). I had to stop and then slowly push the gas so it wouldn't jerk so hard, then it finally switched gears and was smooth. Ever since it's happening only at the first cold start up of the day, and have sluggish acceleration throughtout the day. No lights on or codes. I took back to dealership twice and they said they couldn't replicate it and so they aren't sure, but it definitely still does it (anyone riding with me notices before I even mention it).”Owner report · Engine · May 2026
When filing, owners marked a crash in 29 of these complaints and injuries in 19 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 8 campaigns
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured March 3, 2016 to March 21, 2016. The driver's seatback frame may have been produced with inadequate weld joints and, as a result, the seatback may not function as designed in the event of a rear-end collision.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the welds and replace the driver seatback frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 9, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC140.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC142.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles. A component of the rear suspension may not be properly welded.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the welds at the rear suspension cross-member, replacing the rear cross-member assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 27, 2016. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service Department at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC137.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Sorento vehicles manufactured October 23, 2014, to December 10, 2014. The affected vehicles have a front passenger seat belt whose buckle latch assembly may prevent the front passenger from fastening the seat belt.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger seat belt buckle cover, free of charge. The recall began on August 18, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC123.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to January 29, 2015. Due to an improperly soldered component in the accelerator pedal assembly, the driver may not be able to accelerate the vehicle.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the accelerator assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 19, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC115.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016 Sedona and Sorento vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with faulty automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, preventing the shift lever from locking, which can allow the vehicle to rollaway.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the automatic transmission shift lever assembly components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC246.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2016 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Sorento by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Kia Sorento reliable?
NHTSA has 1,242 owner complaints and 8 recall campaigns on record for the 2016 Kia Sorento. The most complained-about area is engine (52% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2016 Kia Sorento problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 68,000 miles or less.
Does the 2016 Kia Sorento have open recalls?
8 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning trailer hitches. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.